No felony charges for Phoenix dog breeder accused of animal cruelty

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — County prosecutors announced Thursday that a Phoenix dog breeder accused of hoarding dead and starving dogs inside converted apartments won’t face felony charges after his arrest late last month.

Phoenix police had arrested 53-year-old John Lewis Kai and booked him into jail on 16 counts of felony animal cruelty after investigators found several animals living in poor conditions at a home near 7th Street and Indian School Road.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office (MCAO) said that the case against Kai was turned down due to “no reasonable likelihood of conviction on felony charges.” Instead, the officer is referring the case to the city court for possible misdemeanor charges.

“In order to prove the necessary elements for felony animal cruelty, necropsies of the dogs would be needed, and unfortunately, the deceased animals were too decomposed for necropsies to occur,” explained MCAO spokesperson Erin Pellett in an emailed statement. “This left us with insufficient proof for the felony charges.”

Arizona’s Family reached out to the Office of the Phoenix City Prosecutor to ask about potential misdemeanor fines and other punishment, but did not hear back as of Thursday evening.

Kai was arrested on Dec. 23 after officers reported finding feces and urine throughout two units just days prior, after being tipped off about possible animal cruelty.

During that search, authorities noted that there was no available drinking water for the animals, and nine underweight dogs with matted fur. Two dead dogs were also found inside the apartments, with a third discovered dead in a trash can outside, police said.

Kai was released from jail on his $10,000 bond on Dec. 26, MCAO said.

Out of the nine dogs rescued, the majority have been adopted into loving homes.

“Excluding them being underweight and of course severely matted, which is really bad for pet skin and can be very painful, they’ve been pretty healthy overall,” said Kelsey Dickerson with the Arizona Humane Society.

The remaining two dogs are almost done with their recoveries in the hospital and should be available for adoption soon.

In situations like this one, the behavioral team is crucial in making sure the animals are ready for a good home. “With hoarding cases, there can also be socialization and behavioral issues,” Dickerson said.

Dickerson says the humane society has seen a recent rise in hoarding and backyard breeder situations, and this case is an example of why stronger laws are needed.

“We can do our best with caring for these animals and getting evidence, but at the end of the day, if the laws aren’t there, then they’re not able to prosecute,” she said.

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